Most fluxes and defluxing chemicals used by industry to manufacture electronic circuits, such as military hardware, are either contributing to ozone depletion of the atmosphere or are considered by local environmental agencies, such as the Air Quality Management District in the Los Angeles basin, as environmental pollutants or health hazards. For example, it has been reported that if CFCs (chlorofluorohydrocarbons), which are used in vapor degreasing to clean soldered parts where a rosin flux is employed, are released to the atmosphere, they will remain there as an ozone depletant for nearly 100 years. Other chemicals such as rosin fluxes, alcohols, and the like pose health risks and disposal problems for industry.
Water-soluble fluxes for cored solders are formulations that combine a soldering flux with a thickening agent maintained within a hollow tube of solder.
What is desired is a simple, non-toxic, non-corrosive, environmentally-safe solder flux for cored solders that produces solder joints of high metallic luster and excellent quality.